Blueblood's Tale of Woe
by Emerald Force
Summary: Most bronies consider Blueblood one of the most despicable and unlikeable ponies in Equestria. His classmates at Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns would be quite shocked to hear this. "Blueblood is one of the kindest and most noble ponies we know!" they would exclaim. But how can this be the case?
1. Chapter 1: The Key of Star Swirl

Vladimir Blueblood walked glumly into the Royal Canterlot Library. It was dusk, an hour before the library closed for the night. Usually by now, most ponies had left but the librarians and guards. A calm relaxing silence permeated the building at this time - exactly the kind of silence Blueblood needed to get his thoughts together.

He was embarrassed. Being Celestia's nephew, he had been allowed into her school for gifted unicorns without going through the entrance exam. At the time, as a little filly, he couldn't believe his luck. In fact, neither could his parents. Now, walking in the darkness of the shelves of the library, he truly wished he had rejected Celestia's offer. He was a magical failure. Absolutely everything that could go wrong when he used magic did in fact go wrong. His aim was terrible, and many spells he cast with his horn went laughably wide off their mark. Nearly all unicorns his age could telekinetically levitate their own weight of material. He, on the other hand, could hardly lift a filly. He had no place studying in a school for the best unicorns in Equestria. In class, he felt completely out of place. He had failed every test so far this semester. Any kindergartener in the school could do more with magic than he could.

Despite this, and maybe even because of it, he was well liked in school. He had plenty of true friends; ponies who liked him for his personality and character as opposed to his status as a prince. He was, after all, a very nice and warm hearted stallion, noble in every way. They didn't care about his lack of skill, but he himself certainly did and the anxiety it gave him distressed him to no end.

Blueblood shook his head to clear away the distracting thoughts before resuming his search for the Star Swirl the Bearded Wing. With considerable effort, he found it, the entrance hidden away in a remote corner of the highest floor. Taking a key from a pocket of his fancy velvet coat, he quietly unlocked it and stepped inside.

Inside the room, Blueblood hesitated to proceed. Though he was a prince, he was unsure whether or not he was allowed within this room. Closing the door behind him, he reached out to turn on the light before stopping himself. No, it was too risky he decided. With considerable effort, he raised a faint glow with his horn and using it, made his way around the shelves.

Ahhh, here was the book at last, untouched for centuries - The Key of Star Swirl, one of the most dangerous and powerful books on summoning that existed within the annals of Equestrian Magic. Many myths surrounded the entities one could raise with this text, and the knowledge they would bestow upon the magician who managed to control them. Some had dismissed these tales as mere fantasy. Others believed them but considered them irrelevant. The Key of Star Swirl had been lost for ages, or so they believed. These stories, however, had given Blueblood a different reaction - a feeling of hope. These entities, if summoned forth and constrained using the techniques of this book, could be ordered to reveal magical knowledge more powerful than any currently known in Equestria. Blueblood knew, as well, that if there was any place he could find it, it was here. Few unicorns knew the Star Swirl the Bearded Wing of the library even existed. Occasionally, his aunt would assign one of her more advanced students the task of studying a book from its shelves - but only occasionally. Hence, the thick layer of dust that lay settled like snow throughout the room.

The thought, as it occurred to him, nearly made him laugh. Yes, only Celestia's best students, those whose skill and ability in magic far exceeded those of their classmates, had ever been allowed within these walls. His presence seemed ridiculous and to an extent, almost disrespectful.

Still, Blueblood's heart beat with excitement as well as fear. Each breath he took stirred up small clouds of dust causing him at last to hold his breath. He didn't want to sneeze. Telekinetically lifting the thick leather-bound book from its shelf, he shook it around in the air to remove the dust before placing it neatly in a hidden pocket of his coat.

A crackling sound erupted through the room as the intercom turned on, causing Blueblood to jump in surprise. "Attention, the Canterlot Royal Library will be closing in fifteen minutes. The Canterlot Royal Library will be closing in fifteen minutes."

Having obtained what he had come for, Blueblood promptly left the room, locking the door behind him with as much care and silence as when he had unlocked it. As inconspicuously as possible, he made his way down the stairs before stepping out into the warm friendly streets of Canterlot. He had not bothered checking out the book before leaving. Had he done so, he would no doubt have aroused the confusion and suspicion of his aunt, whom he had been trying to avoid for a while now. Breathing in the warm clean night air of the city, he hurriedly made his way home.


	2. Chapter 2: Evocation

A feeling of electric power permeated Blueblood's room as he chanted the opening invocation of the ritual of evocation. "Ol sonuf vaoresaji, gohu iad balata, elanusaha caelazod…" Blueblood sang the chant; softly at first but increasing in volume as the intensity of the energy it drew into the room grew stronger. Standing safely (or so he thought) within the confines of his protective circle, Blueblood prepared to evoke a powerful demon named Arabus.

Outside, clouds obscured the sun, weakening the light shining through the room's only window. In the dim light, the ghostly blue glow of the air around the circle seemed brighter. Outside the window, the hustle and bustle of the ponies of Canterlot continued as they prepared for the Grand Galloping Gala, the most exciting night of the year. Shoot! He realized he had forgotten to close the window. Taking his mind temporarily of the ritual, he paused to do so before resuming. He had spent the past month studying the Key of Star Swirl, memorizing it's invocations and conjurations, and practicing the individual components of the larger ritual of evocation. His aunt, he knew, would be extremely busy throughout this day and for this reason, he picked this day to perform the ritual. With everypony else busy preparing for the gala, he was unlikely to be interrupted.

Blueblood scrunched his eyes in concentration as he drew the seal of Arabus outside the protective circle with a line of green fire. The evil looking symbol hung weakly in the air, it's light nearly flickering out. Tensing himself, he barely managed to draw the last curve of the seal before gasping for breath. Taking a minute to rest, he began the conjuration of Arabus.

"I do invocate and conjure thee, o spirit Arabus, and being armed with power from the Supreme Majesty, I strongly command thee by…" The words, which Blueblood had internalized by now, rolled off his tongue effortlessly. As he continued on, the air around him grew colder. "Wherefore come thou, Arabus, forthwith, and without delay, from any or all parts of Equestria wherever thou mayest be, and make rational answers unto all things that I shall demand of thee. Come thou peaceably, visibly, and affably, now, and without delay, manifesting that which I shall desire. For thou art conjured by the name of the most mighty and powerful alicorn Celestia_**,**_ wherefore fulfil thou my commands, and persist thou therein unto the end, and according unto mine interest, visibly and affably speaking unto me with a voice clear and intelligible without any ambiguity."

Blueblood finished the conjuration, unsure whether anything would happen. He didn't have to wait long to find out. Immediately, the fiery green seal which he had drawn in the air before the circle began spinning rapidly, gaining speed until it was a blurry pillar of sinister green light. Slowly, the pillar dimmed down and vanished, leaving in its place the faint holographic image of a large looming figure. The figure, barely visible at first, now began to draw within itself the energy Blueblood had filled the room with earlier. As the blue glow of the air around the room dimmed, the figure standing before the circle solidified into a monstrous creature of thick black smoke with glowing red eyes.

Blueblood's heart nearly stopped with fear before pumping rapidly. Before him, Arabus sneared evilly. Around him hovered his protective circle, a line of warm golden fire that stood between him and the frightening monstrosity he had called. Blueblood stared into the glowing red eyes of Arabus. As he did so, a series of vivid visions flashed before his eyes. He saw himself in Celestia's school as other unicorns mocked his magical incompetence behind his back. He saw, too, his aunt Celestia enraged over his failing grades. As these visions passed, he saw himself expelled from the school, forced to give up his rank as a prince and work some menial job. After this, the visions to longer concerned him. He saw now the future of his classmates and the grand and impressive careers they would go on to have with the knowledge they had gained while training under Celestia. He saw also how in their glory, they would forget him.

Blueblood collapsed onto the floor crying, overcome by what he saw. As he did so, the circle of protective fire around him flickered thrice before vanishing. It was then, too late, that Blueblood looked up in horror realizing what had happened. "Eh Cha.. Eh Cha Had…" Blueblood desperately tried to recall the incantation that would send Arabus back. Distracted and scared, his mind drew a blank. "Please … please don't kill me," he begged Arabus at last as the hideous demon floated closer. Arabus glided directly in front of the prostrate unicorn and observed him with some amusement. As Blueblood lay on the ground, paralyzed with fear, the moments seemed to grow into eternity.

Though Arabus retained a stoic look on the outside, he was truly quite confused. In the past, unicorns who had attempted to conjure him had been powerful magicians, famed all throughout Equestria for their abilities. In their conceit, they often thought they would be able to control him. Indeed, he had been the death of many a mage. This, however, was a different situation. The poor unicorn before him clearly had no idea what he was doing. Though Arabus was quite knowledgeable and intelligent as a result of his great age, he could not quite fathom what could have lead a young fool such as Blueblood to attempt to call him. After studying the young prince a little, he decided he would spare the unicorn. He could have some fun with this.

From his position on the ground, Blueblood heard Arabus laugh, breaking the tense silence of the room. Believing this was the end, he shut his eyes and waited for the vile spirit to devour his consciousness, leaving him an empty husk.

"Sure…" said Arabus, continuing to cackle, "I won't kill you. But after midnight, you may wish I had."

Confused, Blueblood opened his eyes just in time to see Arabus begin to glow green. Moments later, the glowing green figure shrunk itself into a tiny ball before darting toward him and sinking into his chest. As it did so, Blueblood felt an icy cold sensation permeate his body. Exhausted and scared, Blueblood lost consciousness.


	3. Chapter 3: Rarity

A harsh pounding sound awoke Blueblood from his slumber. "Wha…? Where am I?" he wondered aloud to himself. Slowly, the memories came back: The Key of Star Swirl, Arabus, the debacle of a ritual. Did all those really happen? No, it must have been a dream he decided. A quick look around the room, however, told him otherwise.

The pounding continued. "Your highness, are you alright? You've been gone for a while. Is something wrong?" called a voice from beyond the door, "Your highness…?"

"I...I'm fine," shouted Blueblood drowsily, "I was just taking a nap. I'll be out in a moment." It was a strange lie. His servants knew he never took naps but at the time, he could think of no other excuse. Glancing out the window, he saw the sky was a deep shade of purple. It was nearly time for the gala to begin, and he knew Celestia would expect him to be present. Pulling himself up, he stretched himself, smoothed the wrinkles from his coat, and combed his mane before heading out.

If Blueblood was still sorrowful over his academic standing, he gave no sign of it as he mingled with those at the gala. He smiled happily as he had his picture taken with many fans, signed autographs, met the Wonderbolts again, and chatted who wanted to meet him.

The fact of the matter was, however, that Blueblood hated every moment of it. To be honest, he had never been a very social pony and hated loud places. In addition, with his midterm examination in his divination class coming up, all he wanted to do was study. He knew, however, that as noble a reason for missing the gala as that was, his aunt would still want him to play his part in the gala, greeting the guests and making their night as fun as possible.

Deciding he had had enough socializing for the moment, he headed off to the Canterlot Gardens to introspect. As he walked through the garden, he took a deep breath and calmly observed his train of thoughts. The peaceful atmosphere of the garden was perfect for this. "So, why exactly am I such a failure at magic?" he began, "But I suppose, before I ask myself that, I should ask myself why it even matters. I mean, seriously, my mind is nothing but a series of chemical reactions in some gross device of matter called a "brain" and all the laws and social customs of society are simply illusions the mind constructs to help give life a false sense of meaning. My lifetime is but a second in eternity and a century from my death, will anyone remember me or the things which I have accomplished? That is, of course, assuming I ever manage to accomplish anything at all? But what of my classmates. There will come a time when they too are no longer remembered. They will fade away into oblivion the same way everypony else has as well." Blueblood knew he was getting carried off at this point, but he couldn't stop himself. "Suppose," he wondered, "that there really was a reason for living life. That life really did hold some meaning, some ultimate lesson to learn or reward to receive for bearing with the suffering it delivers. No, this can not be the case. Though as a prince, I should have plenty of reason to be happy, happiness itself is an illusion, as are all emotions as well which come and go. And should I ever find…"

He stopped as he heard movement behind him. "Ugh, great," he thought to himself, "More ponies who want to meet royalty. There are certainly many aspects about being a prince that fairy tales seem to completely ignore."

As a prince, however, Blueblood had been brought up and taught to act like one. Among the skills he had been required to develop was a strict control over his body and facial expressions. If he had to fake an emotion, he was trained to do so. If he had to conceal an emotion, he could do that easily as well. His body never betrayed his thoughts. And so it was that though Blueblood beheld the most drop-dead gorgeous mare he had ever seen when he turned around, his expression remained that of, how shall I put it, meh. Still, though he looked thoroughly unimpressed on the outside, his heart began racing once more. Desperately, he struggled for something to say to this mare, more stunning than anypony who had ever come out of Canterlot's upper class. He decided, at last, to go with something rather mundane. "Well hello," he said, "I am Prince Blueblood."

To Blueblood's delight, the mare seemed quite excited to hear him speak. "I am… Rarity. Oh my, what a lovely rose."

Suddenly, a familiar icy feeling spread throughout Blueblood's body. As it did so, he found himself unable to control his movements. "You mean... this rose? Thank you. It goes with my eyes." he said as he lifted the rose Rarity had spoken of into his pocket.

Blueblood was horrified. What was going on? Though he still retained his ability to think, his body acted without his willed intent. His voice spoke words, though they were not his words. He could only watch passively as his body went through the actions of life, completely powerless to stop it.


	4. Chapter 4: A New Beginning

Blueblood lay on his bed, completely shattered by the events of the night. Throughout the evening, he could only watch helplessly through the eyes of his body as Arabus had taken control and directed its actions. Several times, he had fought for control, turning his mind into a battlefield of conflicting willpower. Arabus, however, was too strong. He had never found life so joyful as that night, when he had been with Rarity. Nor had he ever found life so painful either as when he felt himself unwillingly treating her so rudely. The conflicting emotions had torn him apart.

For hours, he lay there, too shaken to think straight. Several times throughout the night, he found himself back at the gala with Rarity, speaking with her and treating her with all the nobility and chivalry of his true self. But as each vivid hallucination faded away, he found himself once more in the darkness and despair of reality. It would be months before the tears came. He was too lost and scarred to even begin crying. At times, he knew not who he was; his past too painful to remember and his future too painful to approach.

It was early the next morning when Blueblood finally rose. He had made up his mind at last. Nothing in life seemed to matter to him. He would never be happy again. "What a shame it is that I was born a prince," he thought to himself, "If anypony has reason to be happy, it is a prince, yet I am no longer able to feel happy, experience joy, or find pleasure in anything. Surely, I do not deserve my lifestyle." Crawling off his bed, he carefully removed his royal clothes, setting them neatly on his drawer.

Celestia had not yet raised the sun when Blueblood opened the door of his room. Suddenly, he stopped. Should he leave a note? His servants would find it strange that he was not present at breakfast, but would most likely not raise the alarm until the afternoon. When they did, however, there would be quite a bit of trouble looking for him. He was, after all, a prince. Yes, he would have to leave a note.

Turning back into his room, Blueblood walked over to his desk and searched for some clean paper. Finding none, he turned over an old homework assignment and began writing on the back.

_Dearest Aunt Celestia,_

_I must leave._

_Your nephew,_

_Blueblood_

It was a marvelously short letter, of course, but Blueblood did not feel the need to give any further explanation than that. So long as his aunt knew his absence was intentional. He did not want any effort spent searching for him. Carefully setting the note in an envelope, he scribbled his aunt's name onto the front before tossing it upon his bed.

The streets of Canterlot were silent as Blueblood stepped out of the castle door. He had taken with him nothing to remind him of his royal past. He knew not where he was going, only that he could not bear to remain where he was. "Funny," he thought to himself as he stood there, "I know not even whether to go right or left."

He remained there, motionless, as he pondered the simple decision. Deciding at last to turn right since he was right hoofed, he began walking again, surrendering his future to fate.


	5. Chapter 5: Life as a Pleb

A familiar thud rang out as Blueblood dropped the last steel beam into the basket. Immediately, the crane's operator whisked the basket upward into the sky. Painfully, Blueblood took a moment to stretch his aching back before another was lowered. Across from him, the old stallion who had been helping him, Mason MacHoof, laughed.

"Oh, you'll get used to it eventually" he said with his usual mild southern accent, "The first few weeks are torture. You can't sleep because your back's achin' so much."

"It would be better if I actually had a bed," Blueblood thought to himself. The hard wood of park benches certainly did not help. He was only thankful the days were getting warmer. He wasn't sure what he was going to do come winter. His body, pampered by his former princely life, had still not accustomed itself to the beating of the elements. His fur, formerly white as snow, was now soiled a greyish brown. By the time he had stumbled into Baltimare searching for work, he was barely recognizable. But this, he was thankful for. In the past few weeks, he had been treated and spoken to in ways that would have made any prince's blood boil in rage. He, of course, no longer cared.

"Well, I sure hope those first few weeks pass by soon," he replied at last, straightening himself.

"Oh they'll pass when they pass," said Mason, offering him a bottle, "Here, you want a swig? It might help."

"Nope, I'm still good"

"If you say so," replied Mason. Tilting his head back, he downed the bottle in one massive gulp.

"It's certainly helped the bad time go by for me," he continued, "Why won't you touch the stuff?"

"Oh, you know, it gives me headaches," Blueblood replied. He had never actually drunk before but thought the old stallion might find that strange of him. Quite a few of the workers were alcoholics. Alcohol was absolutely forbidden on the worksite, however. In truth, possession of alcohol was the only tried and true way to get fired. Sleeping on the job and failing to show up often resulted in nothing more than a stern reprimand. There were certainly ponies though, such as Mason, who took the risk. Blueblood figured that as a result of the stallion's great age, he no longer really cared. Off to the side lay a large duffle bag, always filled with several bottles of beer along with his lunch.

Mason laughed once more. "That just means you don't drink enough," he said.

The familiar squeaking of the crane pierced the air again as another basket descended beside them. Groaning, Blueblood bent over and began lifting beams into it again. The work was painful, though there were certain things about it he enjoyed. The pain and weariness were a constant distraction from the even more painful memories of his past. In addition, the repetitive nature of the work often caused him to drift into a state of trance. Here, there was no Blueblood, no past, no future, no Princess Celestia's School for gifted Unicorns, no Equestria, and most importantly, no Rarity. There was only the lifting up of each beam and the setting down of it into the basket. Often, when the last beam of the load had been set into the basket, it would take some time for him to wake up and remember where he was.

"Have you ever worked up there?" he asked Mason suddenly. He was referring to the top of the skyscraper where workers took the beams from the crane and put them in place.

"Yeah, for a week or so," replied Mason, "It's mostly pegasi though. They're a rude bunch, they sure are. Be glad to have your four hooves on the ground. They mess around with those who don't have wings."

Blueblood had considered requesting to be moved to the top of the skyscraper. He was sure the view would be nice. Upon listening to Mason, however, he decided it wasn't worth the trouble. Besides, he was beginning to like Mason. The old stallion had quite a strange history. He had been born in a small town in the south of Equestria. After having been foal-napped as an infant by rogue buffalo, he escaped and made his way to pony civilization. After wandering around as a beggar for a few years, he managed to land a job as a construction worker, hoping to make enough money to one day return home. His job, however, barely provided him with enough to eat. And so, for the past few decades, he had labored away hauling beams, drilling, screwing, and pouring cement.

An alarm rang over the intercom system of the construction site signaling the lunch break. Blueblood attempted to finish lifting the beam he currently held into the basket when Mason abruptly dropped his side of the beam. Blueblood, too, let his side fall with a loud clang before hobbling out.


	6. Chapter 6: Transience

Blueblood had been working for nearly a month now. His back no longer felt strained. In addition, he noted with some satisfaction that his muscles had grown firmer and stronger as well. When he had left Canterlot, he was uncertain what would happen. Anything was possible. Now, he marveled at how hectic and uncertain life as a prince had been. He always had to be on his toes, he was constantly wanted for something, and any change in schedule, whether a cancellation of a royal ball or rescheduling of a feast, was always stressful. Now, his life was ordered and patterned. He woke up each day knowing exactly what to expect. With such repetitiveness between days, he eventually lost track of the date. Each day was indistinguishable from the next.

"I'm a cog in the machinery of Equestria," thought Blueblood to himself, "A cog that has at last found its proper place. Is this the secret key to contentment? To find one's place and do that which one was designed for? If so, no wonder I was never content in my aunt's castle! Everything that has happened to me was just the universe fixing itself and making things right."

"Hey, what's holding them up?" asked Mason irately, interrupting Blueblood's thoughts.

"Huh?" asked Blueblood, "What do you mean?"

"The crane," answered Mason.

It took Blueblood a while to figure out what he meant. At last, it occurred to him that an awful long time had passed since the last basket had been taken up.

"Well, why are you complaining?" asked Blueblood, "Less work for us right?"

Mason grinned and sat down. "Yeah, I suppose you're right."

In silence, they waited. With such repetitive lives, there was little to chat about. Of course, Blueblood had not revealed his identity as a former prince, though he doubted Mason would really care or think differently of him.

Celestia's sun slowly inched higher up in the sky. At some point, the sound of snoring filled the air as Mason slept. Blueblood strolled around, kicking rocks to fill the time. Finally, he too began to yawn. "I suppose if I do take a nap, the sound of the crane moving will wake me in time to get working," he thought to himself.

At that moment, Mason awoke and stretched himself. "Huh, has nothing happened yet?" he asked drowsily.

Blueblood shook his head. "Nope, not that I know of."

Mason glanced up at the sun. "That's it." he said, I'm going to get to the bottom of this. It's well past lunch break. We should have been released an hour ago." Still muttering, he headed toward the foreman's office.

For a moment, Blueblood considered following him. At least it would give him something to do. He made up his mind at last and sat down. His stomach growled. While wandering throughout Equestria, hunger had been his constant companion. Now that he had a job, however, meals were an important part of the daily routine he had come to internalize and embrace. Even something as simple as a delayed lunch made him feel uncomfortable.

Suddenly, a manager turned the corner and accosted him, accompanied by two security guards. Blueblood stood up.

"We're investigating several recent acts of sabotage," explained the manager, "Do you work on the afternoon shift as well?"

"Yes," replied Blueblood, "I have the same job."

"Can you prove you were in fact working here then, and not somewhere else?" asked the manager.

Blueblood thought for a while before remembering Mason, who had been working with him. He began telling the manager to wait for Mason to return when one of the guards spoke up.

"Sir, this stallion must have been working. If he wasn't, no beams would have arrived at the 16th floor and thus, no construction would have taken place. In addition, Cranemane would certainly have alerted us if the basket of his crane was not being filled. Let's check the south side. I doubt we will find anything here."

The manager pondered the guard's words carefully before nodding. "Yes, I suppose you're right," he said, "But check his bag first to ensure there are no explosives."

Blueblood was confused. "What bag?" he thought to himself. He knew at once what the manager meant when one of the guards walked over to Mason's black duffle bag and searched inside. For a moment, he stared before looking up to the manager. "Sir, there's alcohol in here," he said.

At once, the manager's face lit up gleefully. "Ah, is there?" he asked before trotting over to look for himself.

"Hand over your worker's ID," snapped the manager.

"What?" Blueblood began to protest before stopping. It suddenly occurred to him that if Mason was revealed to be the owner of the bag, he would be fired instead. Mason, however, had few skills and was unlikely to find any other work. In addition, he had been working here for most of his adult life. If he was fired, he would be lost. No, he couldn't do that to the old stallion.

"I said hand over your ID card NOW. And if you are seen again upon this site after today, charges WILL be pressed against you for trespassing."

"Oh, sure, sorry about that."


	7. Chapter 7: On the Eve of a Voyage

Blueblood whistled happily to himself as he walked the streets of Baltimare. The golden light of the late afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the left side of the city street- the right cloaked in the shadows of the skyscrapers. Tonight was his last night in the city. Tomorrow, he would set sail.

"Excuse me sir, would you mind giving me some spare change?" called a voice next to him.

Startled, Blueblood looked down to see a ragged grey earth pony speaking to him, a small cracked mug in his right hood. Slowly, he lowered the mug. "Never mind," he mumbled.

Blueblood had been just about to reach into his pocket for a few bits to give to the homeless pony. "What?" he asked, "is something wrong?"

"Not particularly," replied the pony lying beside him, "Seems like you're not much better off than me."

Blueblood examined the hobo pony and realized that physically, they didn't look too different. "Oh, but I can still spare a few coins" he said. Suddenly, an idea struck him. "Hey, you know what, why don't I treat you to dinner?"

The grey earth pony looked up. "Vraiment?"

"Bien sûr! Venir avec moi," replied Blueblood casually. His voice faltered as he finished the last word.

The grey pony chuckled. "Well, it appears you might have travelled around almost as much as I have. Sure, we could make some interesting conversation. The name's Goofy, by the way. Goofy Hooves."

Blueblood shook Goofy's hoof and together they walked to a diner across the street. French had been Blueblood's best subject while studying at his aunt's school. It was, after all, one of the few subjects in which he didn't need magic. As such, the language itself had always seemed like a friend to him. Now, although that had all seemed like ages ago, the words still flowed from his tongue as easily as English. He had not even realized he had made the transition.

The Golden Horseshoe was one of the oldest and well known diners around town and often on a tourist's list of places to visit. Blueblood had come once with his aunt as a filly, accompanying her as she took the royal family of Cameloo on a tour throughout Equestria. He remembered the food as being some of the best he had ever eaten. He had calculated that it would use up a good deal of his remaining money, which he would not be needing for a while. Now that he had a friend with him, he would certainly be able to dispose of the burden easily.

As Blueblood reached out to the door of the diner, he caught the reflection of a young well-dressed mare behind him. Acting instinctively, he opened it and motioned for her to go in first.

For a moment, the mare stood staring at him. Blueblood waited, wondering why. Did he do something wrong? It occurred to him that the mare might have recognized him.

Suddenly, the mare began speaking angrily. "Oh, so you think just because you're a stallion, you need to do everything for us mares? Do you really think I am incapable of opening a door by myself. Is this how lowly and incompetent you stallions think we mares are?"

Blueblood blinked. "Ma'am, I'm just holding the door open…" he said cautiously.

"Yes, I can see that! Do you think I'm blind as well? Quit with your acts. We mares are as competent as you stallions are. Stop implying we aren't."

"Well, you mares certainly don't seem to be capable of keeping a level head." Goofy spoke up beside Blueblood, "He was just trying to do a nice thing. Do you not understand what it means to..."

"Oh, sure, he was doing something nice" interrupted the mare, "Or rather, insulting me through an action disguised as a kind act. I tell you, if you stallions would get off your pedestal for once and let us mares take charge, we'd have colonies on the moon by now."

Several curious passerbys were beginning to stop and stare.

"Where in Tartarus did any of that come from?" exclaimed Goofy, "What do you want?"

"For you to stop treating me the way one would treat a little child!" exclaimed the mare, "I can open a door myself, as can any other mare. You're chivalry is not needed." She spat the word chivalry out like a bitter pill. "Now," she continued, "Stop wasting my time. Either get your own plot in the door or move out of the way so I myself can."

Next to the mare, a lime green pegasus who had been reading a newspaper began laughing. "Oh if I were the manager, I would never let somepony as obnoxious as yourself in. He held a door open for you and just look at where you've taken things!"

From behind Blueblood came another voice. "If I were the manager, I'd agree. But I am the manager." Turning to the mare, he continued, "You are no longer welcome here. Judging by your ceaseless complaints last time, I don't even know why you would even come back. Regardless my waiters refuse to serve you."

Upon finishing his statement, the gruff looking earth pony seized Blueblood and Goofy, yanked them inside, and slammed the door.


	8. Chapter 8: A Talk Over Dinner

"Mind if I have a milkshake to wash it down with?" asked Goofy.

"Of course not. Order as much as you want," said Blueblood. The two ponies sat across from each other at a small antique table near a corner of the diner. Blueblood continued looking down at his menu, trying to decide between a rye cake sandwich and the sourdough stew. As he pondered his choice, a young golden maned pegasus waitress came up to the table.

"Well, here you folks are," she said happily, placing a steaming cup of tea in front of Goofy and a glass of orange juice in front of Blueblood, "Have you decided what you want yet?"

"Yep, a fried wheat roll with the hay soup as a side," said Goofy immediately.

"Alrighty then," said the waitress, turning to Blueblood, "And you sir?"

Blueblood hesitated a bit before going with the sandwich.

As the waitress left, Goofy spoke up. "Just think about it," he said, "for nearly two decades, I've sat across from this place and yet this is only the first time I've been inside."

"Well," said Blueblood, "What do you think of it so far?"

"Haha," laughed Goofy, "I don't have much to compare it with to be honest. Usually, I'll just take anything I can get."

Blueblood frowned, "And why is that?" he asked cautiously. He did not wish to offend Goofy by asking too personal of a question, but he was genuinely curious. Goofy seemed like a pretty intelligent pony so far.

"Oh, it's just me," said Goofy, "No matter what I do, I always seem to screw up enough to get the boot. After a while, I figure it just wasn't worth the trouble."

"What do you mean?" asked Blueblood.

"Just what I said," said Goofy, "It seems that no matter what I do, I just can't seem to get anything right. When I was a security guard, I'd always fall asleep. When I stacked boxes for the local grocer, I'd always set the columns falling like dominoes. It wasn't my fault, I'm just clumsy. When I painted houses, nopony ever seemed satisfied with my work. Things like that… ya know. Eventually, I decided I'd had enough."

Blueblood thought a while. "Did you try the docks?" he asked, "There are tons of opportunities for employment there."

"No, that's not it," said Goofy, "I don't need a job. If I wanted one, I'd get one soon enough. The problem is I'm never good at any job I do. It's not worth the hassle."

"Well, find a job you're good at then…" said Blueblood.

Goofy sighed. "You say it like it's such an obvious solution," he said, "And that's what I've been trying to do without success."

"I'd say you didn't try hard enough. There's got to be a place for you somewhere." said Blueblood.

"Two decades of searching sure seems like a lot of effort to me," replied Goofy, "If there was a job I could be good at, I would have found it. Trust me, some ponies just don't seem to fit anywhere. To be honest, I'd say if there is a place for me, it's doing what I am now; begging. At least now I'm out of the way."

Blueblood remained quiet, unsure how to respond. Luckily, at that moment, the waitress returned, carrying an oversized tray upon which their two meals rested. Sticking a wing out and setting the tray on it, she grabbed the plates upon it and set them in front of Blueblood and Goofy. "Anything else you need?" she asked, folding her wing again.

"No, that'll be it for now," said Blueblood, then turning to Goofy, he asked, "Do you need anything?"

"Nope, I'm all set," replied Goofy, stabbing his fork into his wheat roll.

Blueblood slowly picked up his sandwich and took a bite. Although it was the best bite of food he had taken since he left Canterlot, his mind was too distracted to fully enjoy it.

"Is it ever boring?" he asked, upon swallowing.

"What?" asked Goofy, his mouth half full.

"Sitting all day,"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe at one point it was, but I'm used to it now. I can't remember. Why?"

"It must be awful staying in the same spot all day," said Blueblood.

Goofy's eyes grew wide. "You wouldn't know would ya? I've moved around plenty in my youth, constantly searching for some job I could succeed in. I went as far down as Cameloo once at one point. To be honest, there's nothing I want more than to stay in one place. I'm fine where I am now."

"Well…"

"Oh leave it alone already," interrupted Goofy, "Your sandwich is getting cold. If you could restrain your mind a bit and just enjoy the present, you'd be far more content with life." He stopped a moment to sip his tea before continuing. "That was my problem. Constantly searching for work... for a way to sustain myself. Eventually, I figured I'd sit in place and let the universe do it for me. It's worked quite well. There are two ways to be successful in life. The first is to be very hardworking. The second is to be very apathetic. Of these two ways, I have chosen the latter, Though many may see me as a failure, I certainly do not. I have no worries and no wants. I take what I am given and that is sufficient."

"If you are apathetic to everything, then surely your life has no meaning!" exclaimed Blueblood.

"Life has no meaning anyways. We're born, we sustain ourselves, and when our time comes, we die and no matter what amazing things we did or didn't do, none of it matters anymore. As to the ultimate purpose of all this, Celestia knows. Or maybe she doesn't. Not that it matters, though I daresay there is none." Goofy's voice had risen steadily as he spoke, the veracity of his words seemingly supported by his experiences.

The rest of the dinner was spent in silence, the loud chattering of the other customers of the diner resounding around them.

"So, any dessert for you two?" asked the waitress.

"I'm fine," replied Blueblood, "E voi Goofy?"

"No, sto farcito," replied the earth pony. He had finished his meal long before Blueblood and had been waiting patiently.

"No, grazie. Portatemi il controllo," Blueblood told the waitress, causing the confused pegasus to blink.

"Sorry, I meant we're good. Bring us the check," said Blueblood.

As the waitress left, Goofy leaned forward. "Sir, if I haven't made it clear enough already, I just want to express once more how grateful I am to you for doing all this for me," he said.

"Oh it's no big deal. Really, it's nice having someone to talk to again," replied Blueblood.

Goofy shook his head. "It is a big deal to me," he said, "You're an awfully generous stallion you know. I really wish I could repay you."

"Don't worry about it," said Blueblood, "Just do something amazing with your life."


	9. Chapter 9: The First Sunrise

"Well, isn't this going to be wonderful? We can keep each other company," said Goofy.

"Assuming I don't get nauseated, I suppose so," said Blueblood grinning. The young unicorn was ecstatic. He had gotten a job earlier as a laborer on a cargo vessel at Baltimare harbor. Sometime after arriving at the ship early in the morning, he was surprised to see Goofy come aboard as well, wearing the uniform of a mechanic.

"Oh you should be fine," replied Goofy, "I've had similar jobs before. If you're working, you'll be alright. It's when you're lounging around that the problems start. But even those go away with time. Here, let me give you a hoof with that."

"I'm fine. It's not your job … mmph…,"

Goofy caught the crate and kept it steady, helping Blueblood hoist it on top of two others in the ship's cargo hold.

"Thanks," said Blueblood, "I think that was the last one."

The two chatting friends slowly made their way to the ship's dock. The sunrise, though a beautiful red, was just beginning to grow bright enough to become painful to the eyes. They had long since left the harbor behind and were making steady progress.

"Ugh, this is going to be a drab sight. Water, water, everywhere. Never changing, always the same old thing," said Blueblood, stepping out into the sunlight.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so quick to say that," replied Goofy swiftly, "Have you sailed before?"

"Admittedly no," said Blueblood.

"Then I'm not surprised you would think of her that way," said Goofy.

"Who?" asked Blueblood.

"Why the ocean of course!" exclaimed Goofy, "They say she has secrets she reveals only to a few select special ponies, but I tell you that these ponies are special only in that they know how to listen."

"What do you mean?" asked Blueblood.

"Have you ever stopped just to listen to the world around you? Have you ever stilled the train of your thoughts, silenced your emotions, and just listened?" asked Goofy in reply.

Blueblood scanned through his life. "No, I don't believe I have," he finally replied, "It seems like something I might have benefited from if I had."

"It usually is," said Goofy, "And if you learn to do that, you may learn to hear the voice of the ocean. I know sailors who have spent more time out here than on dry land who have never heard her voice. I am friends with two professors of marine biology down at Baltmare University. They, too, have never heard the voice of the ocean, though they have studied her for decades. I do know a few poets and one composer who have though. They try to convey the message of the ocean to the rest of Equestria through their works."

Blueblood was silent. "My aunt Lu...Lauren used to tell me the stars at night were ablaze with the joy and ecstasy that permeated the universe. She told me that if I were ever depressed, to go outside and watch their great cosmic dance throughout the night sky. She too, said that I must learn to listen."

Blueblood stopped again, remembering the time when he, still a little filly, had stood out in the castle garden with Luna. He was supposed to be in bed, but he had not felt tired. Luna, understanding, had allowed him to stay up with her. "The universe has such an endless supply of joy," she said to him, "that were it not for these stars, it would burst."

"Yes, your aunt must have been a very powerful worker of magic then. I wish I had known to do that myself. But then again, I suppose there is no reason I should not have. The still mirror of the ocean at night reflects the joy and ecstasy of the night sky. It's tides, too, join the moon in the great cosmic dance of the universe. I too, have often wanted to join in, though I was never able to for I have never found harmony. Though I have learned to listen to the ocean, I have never applied its message. Perhaps, knowing I would not, I should have shared it with others, that they may have had the chance."

Suddenly, the ship's intercom blared forth, interrupting the peace of the moment. "Mechanic needed in section nine. Mechanic needed in section nine."

"That's right under us isn't it?" asked Goofy. Blueblood nodded his head.

"We'll I guess I'll go see what they want then," said Goofy, heading for the door, See you 'round."


	10. Chapter 10: Attack!

A loud crash woke Blueblood from his slumber. Turning over in his bunk, he closed his eyes to sleep again. A series of crashes erupted, however, along with muffled screaming on the deck.

"Mmmph, what's going on," mumbled the lime green earth pony beneath him. The shouting continued above them.

Blueblood's bewildered mind was awake now, but his body wasn't. Drowsily, he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes with his hooves as a loud explosion rocked the ship.

"Those mechanics," spat another pony somewhere in the room, "they probably let the engine overheat again. Go back to bed everypony. That's not our problem to worry about."

Blueblood sat still, concentrating on the sounds above him. Everypony else, believing the explanation, already had their heads buried under their sheets to block out the sound as they made their way back to dreamland.

Blueblood considered doing so as well, though he had to urinate. Cursing himself for drinking so much cider at dinner the night before, he slowly descended the ladder to the floor and made his way to the cabin door. As he reached for the handle, the door blasted inward, stunning him as it struck his head. "EVERYPONY OUT!" shouted a harsh voice, with a thick unfamiliar accent.

For two seconds, all was silent. "EVERYPONY OUT ON DECK NOW, OR I WILL SMEAR YOUR BRAINS AGAINST THE WALL WITH MY PIKE!" repeated the voice. Confused and scared, Blueblood looked up to see a towering figure holding a spear standing in the doorway. Upon hearing the pony's threat, the rest of the sleeping laborers, just as confused as Blueblood, began sitting up.

"ALL YOU PATHETIC PONIES GET UP! YOU ARE OUR PRISONERS NOW AND WILL OBEY." shouted the voice, even louder. At this, the tall muscular figure reached down, seized Blueblood, and tossed him out onto the hall causing him to wince in pain as his shoulder struck the edge of the staircase. In the dark of the cloudy, starless night, he blindly made his way up the stairs out onto the deck.

Upon arriving at the deck, he was surprised to see the majority of the boat's small thirty-pony crew huddled in a large group. As he stepped out into the open air, he felt a sharp pain in his side as another large figure with a spear poked him. Turning around, Blueblood saw the figure gesture toward the rest of the crew members with his spear while muttering something that sounded like, "Go."

Blueblood hurriedly galloped over to the rest of the crew members, unsure whether or not he was dreaming. No, he decided, the pain in his shoulder and side were too vivid to be a dream. Though the night air was chilly, he didn't notice. As he looked around, he saw that many patches of the deck were charred, as if they had recently been burned. In addition, debris lay everywhere. He noticed, too, a smaller vessel pulled up next to the one he was currently on.

The rest of the Blueblood's roommates stumbled out onto the deck, accompanied by several more figures. In the dim light, Blueblood realized they were not earth ponies, as he had originally thought, but zebras.

"Well, well, well," spoke a loud arrogant voice, "I assume this is all of you?" Another zebra, this one dressed in a fine black suit and carrying a sword paced back and forth in front of the huddled crew members, none of whom responded.

"I must say, I am quite grateful to you all, for making me a gift of this fine vessel of yours, as well as its plentiful cargo, which my zebras are opening right now."

"AAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII," came a terrified shout. A unicorn, with a look of terror in his eyes, frantically broke from the crowd, galloped past a group of bewildered zebras, and flung himself over the edge into the waters below. Together, the zebras and ponies gathered around the edge of the deck, peering downward. In the darkness, it was impossible to make out what had happened to him.

"Was...was that Captain Ironhoof?" whispered a pony somewhere in the crowd. The zebra pirate captain apparently heard the question.

"I do believe it was," he said. "Interesting. We were not going to do anything special to him."

The smaller vessel, floating by the larger cargo ship, had been steadily drifting toward it. Suddenly, a massive wave struck the smaller vessel, causing it to slam into the cargo ship. Most of the ponies had begun making their way back to the center of the deck to await the instructions of the zebra pirate captain. Blueblood, who had remained behind a little longer peering over the edge, was sent sprawling overboard by the jolt.

"AGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH," he screamed as he fell, bracing himself for a hard impact. In the end, it was not the force of the impact that surprised him, but the sudden wet and cold sensation of the water. Flailing around frantically, he felt a pain shoot up his arm as his hoof struck something hard. Realizing it was a large drifting plank, he seized it and continued calling for help.


	11. Chapter 11: Initiation

Blueblood's mind was completely numb. Even thinking, an action that had seemed so effortless earlier, was too much for him. He had been drifting for three days now. He estimated it was a little after midnight. Never, during this time, had he ever really slept. Instead, he had lost consciousness periodically. When he fell off the ship, it had been in the middle of nowhere. It was unlikely any other ship would come by in time to save him.

Throughout this time, his thirst had steadily grown until it became nearly unbearable. It was a constant painful reminder that he had at most, a day or so more to live. His arms, at first, had been sore from clinging to the wooden board, which had at one point been a part of the ship's deck. Now, they too had lost all feeling, permanently locked in a tight embrace with his flotation device. Earlier that morning, as the hot sun beat down upon him, he had thought to himself, "Oh, how very stupid I am. I have been dying of thirst this whole time yet there is water all around me. How in Equestria did I fail to notice that?" Upon thinking this, he bent his head down to take several large gulps of seawater.

Luckily, he had recovered his sanity just in time. He tried not to think of the incident. In a few hours, when his aunt raised the sun, it might happen again. This time, he probably would drink himself to death with seawater. The hypnotic monotony of seeing nothing but water was itself enough to drive him mad. He thought about singing to himself to change things up, but could not. His voice was too dry and parched.

Blueblood lay his head down on the board. As he did so, an icy cold sensation began in his legs. As he lay bobbing up and down with the waves, the sensation slowly spread throughout the rest of his body. In a way, it was a relaxing sensation which he did not stop to question. Having spent three days drifting through the ocean, he expected his body to behave strangely.

The icy cold sensation suddenly disappeared, replaced now by a comforting warmth and a feathery lightness. Though he floated on water, he felt as if he floated on air.

Blueblood's eyes drifted open. Silently, he gazed downward at the waves below, and at his body, still clinging to the wooden board, rocking side to side with the water.

Wait...his body? Blueblood looked around and found himself hovering in the air above the surface of the ocean. Above him, the stars at night glittered happily. Below him, the endless ocean stretched out beyond the horizon on every side. "Am I dead already?" Blueblood asked himself, staring at his pale and unmoving body below him.

"Not quite yet," spoke a soft voice beside him. Blueblood turned around and was a little more than stunned by what he saw. A large pale ghostly mare floated beside him. Her entire body seemed to be made of the brightest moonlight. Her eyes shone with a brilliant blue-green color. Her mane flowed like the smooth waves of the open ocean, reminding Blueblood of his aunt Luna's.

"You can, of course, change that," she continued.

"Blueblood stared at her. Unsure what was happening. "Wha….what do you mean?" he asked at last, "Who are you?"

"I am the ocean," said the mare, "I gave life to you and every individual in the world. I am the great mother. As of now, you are at a very important point in your life, which is now ending. As your mother, of course I do not wish to see this happen. I can give you life anew. Your blood is not so different from my waters. But, I cannot give you this freely. It is, after all, Divine Providence who gives me the authority to do this. You may choose to live, but if you do, your life will no longer be your own. The rest of your life must be dedicated to the service of Divine Providence. Every breath you take, every word you speak, and every action you make, must be dedicated to the service of Divine Providence by establishing and furthering harmony, friendship, peace, and love in this world."

Blueblood looked out over the ocean. His body, oblivious to its surroundings, still lay looking lifeless. He didn't want to die.

"My life never had any purpose" he thought to himself, "It never had any meaning. If I live, then it will. No matter whatever other crazy occurrences fate throws at me, I will now always have a purpose to remain living. I will have a job to complete here."

"Give me life again," he said to the ocean, "Let me live and I will live to further the principles of harmony, friendship, peace, and love. I will make my soul a mirror, like your waters at night, that reflects the light of Divine Providence and spreads it throughout Equestria, transforming it for the better. Where there is discord, I will create harmony. Where there is violence, I will create peace. When ponies get into petty squabbles, I will help them see the big picture and create friendship. Where there is hatred, I will create love."

"How?" asked the ocean.

"What do you mean?" asked Blueblood back.

"It is all very nice of you to say these things, however if you have no idea how to go about doing them, your words are meaningless. How do you know you have what it takes, to accomplish such a large task? If you cannot say for sure, I'm afraid I cannot let you live. With each passing moment, your body grows colder and its bond with your soul weaker.

Blueblood thought quickly, but to no avail. He had always been a pathetic unicorn, always a failure. He was reminded once more, of the embarrassment to his aunt Celestia he had been while attending her school. True, perhaps he did not have the ability to serve Divine Providence. Perhaps he was better off dead.

As he hovered there, next to the ocean, certain words, long buried in his memory, surfaced again, flowing melodiously through his mind.

"Perhaps there is no greater display of power in the universe, than that which occurs when a new star is born. An endless sea of dust and hot gas, burning brilliantly with the light of life, swirling inward in a brilliant fiery vortex to form a new diamond in the sky. Know, nephew, that this power is nothing distant. It is within yourself. Discover it, and you will have uncovered the source of creation, and the source of all magic."

Immediately, Blueblood knew how to answer the ocean's question. "The brilliant fire of the stars above, the unstoppable flow of the lava below the ground, and the intensity of lightning flashing through the sky, I will discover within me. I will bring forth this power, latent within my soul, to serve Divine Providence."

"Well," said the ocean, "in that case there is no way I can let you live. Too many times, ponies have sought power, found it, and abused it. If you discover such a great power within yourself, how will you control it? How will you ensure it does not control you instead and cause harm?"

This time, Blueblood did not hesitate to answer, again paraphrasing his aunt Luna's words. "There is a space between the stars above, a void which leads to eternity. And within this void is contained the essence of stillness and peace. This too exists within me and I will bring it out as well. In addition, there is the serenity of my aunt's moon, watching in silence over the world. This I will internalize within myself as well. Even you yourself, I will find within my soul, so that I will always seek to nurture, heal, and embrace."

The ocean nodded. "So be it," she said, "grab my hoof."

Blueblood did so, and immediately he felt his consciousness expanding. He felt he was the ocean itself. He breathed in, and his breath was one with the trade winds that drove the ships of the world. He breathed out, and his breath was no different than the hurricanes and typhoons of the tropics. He could sense the waves breaking upon every shore. He felt the cold waves of the frozen north, and the stillness of its icebergs. His mind reached down into the depths of the waters, to the bottom of the deepest ocean trenches where he found silence as he had never known it before. But he was all these things at once.

Visions now began to flash before Blueblood's eyes. Images of monsters, terrible creatures, swimming in the depths of the prehistoric ocean appeared before him. He saw a time when the sky did not reflect the serenity it did now; a time when the heavens were ablaze with fire, and the whole ocean raged and foamed.

The images changed. He was in a desert now. A different sort of silence permeated his surroundings. Glancing over, he beheld a young unicorn, quite like himself in appearance, lying on the ground clutching his leg. His cutie mark was that of a spiral galaxy. Looking closely, he saw upon the unicorn's thigh two red dots oozing blood. It was the bite of an asp. The unicorn lay sobbing, tears streaming profusely from his eyes. As the venom took over his body, his breathing slowed, his body grew cold, and his face pale. As the unicorn breathed what appeared to be his last breath, a large golden stallion with a mane flowing like fire and eyes shining like rubies appeared beside him.


	12. Chapter 12: The Uncertain Future

"Careful, you don't want to snap him do you?"

"What...huh…?" With a great effort, Blueblood finally managed to open his eyes. He was vaguely aware of being lifted. As he gradually awoke, unsure of himself, he felt himself hit a hard surface with a thud. Moments later, he choked as a tube of some sort was forced down his mouth and water poured down his throat.

"Tchhhhackkkk," Blueblood spluttered, attempting to sit up.

"See, he's fine. Wow, another one. And he's young too! He'll sell for a good sum," said a high pitched scratchy voice.

Blueblood ceased hacking, utterly confused and with no idea where he was. The slow rocking of the floor beneath him indicated he was on a ship. Looking around, he saw that this was indeed the case. Surrounding him were several creatures he vaguely recognized. Their unusual bodies, an amalgamation of various creatures, should have been enough to bring up their name. What were they called again?

"Draconequi," Blueblood thought to himself, as a bit of old knowledge, gained from his aunt's school, rose up to the light of waking consciousness again. Nothing more than the name of their species, however, could he remember.

"Eh, throw him in with the other one," said a voice behind him. A large claw, reaching downward, seized him painfully around his shoulder. A moment later, he felt himself rising again as a draconequus lifted him onto its back in a firepony's carry.

"Ugh," Blueblood groaned. The jolting movement of the draconequus's strides caused his brain to slosh around his aching head as it carried him down several flights of stairs. Though Blueblood still had no idea what was going on, he feared to ask. Something sinister existed in the appearance of these creatures. Desperately, he racked his mind for anything else he could remember about them.

The draconequus stopped in what appeared to be the bottom floor of the ship. Opening a door in a long hallway, it set Blueblood down in the room without a word before slamming the door and leaving. For a moment, Blueblood lay upon the cold wooden floorboards, trying to get his thoughts together.

"They got you too?" asked a voice from one of the darker corners of the room.

Blueblood looked up, squinting to make out the owner of the voice. "Who?" he asked.

"Them," said the voice again, before pausing. "Draconequi slave traders. They usually don't come 'round these parts. Whether or not I'm lucky they did, I haven't decided yet."

"Captain Ironhoof…?" asked Blueblood.

"Yes…?" replied the voice.

"Oh, I thought I recognized your voice. That's all. You're alive?"

"Yes, and I'm surprised you are too," replied the rusty red unicorn, "Are there any others?"

"I don't know," replied Blueblood, "They're still on the ship. I fell overboard right after you leapt off."

"They are dead then," said the captain unemotionally.

"Really? Are pirates always so cruel?" asked Blueblood.

"No, it's not them," replied Ironhoof, "Without a doubt, they would have opened up the cargo stored below deck to see what they had captured. Unfortunately, all those crates are filled to the brim with Celestium-240, a very rare and extremely radioactive element. Unsealing even one box would have doomed the entire ship. All of them, zebras and ponies alike, would be dead within an hour from radiation poisoning."

For a long time, there was the greatest silence. Finally, Ironhoof resumed speaking.

"Sometimes, I wish I had stayed. Really, one moment, I'm nearly retired, getting ready to relax the rest of my life upon returning. An hour later, I'm on my way to be sold as a slave with no hope of ever returning to Equestria. It was a stupid decision of me to try and save myself. Too bad I succeeded. Too bad for you as well. You still have the majority of your life to live. It's a pity it will be as a slave."

Blueblood contemplated that fact. Though it should have enraged or depressed him, he took it coolly. Though he knew not what lay ahead of him, he felt no fear. "There is a reason for everything," he replied at last to the old captain, "Divine Providence has a job for me. Whatever situations it puts me in, no matter how horrendous or painful, I will always accept and make the best of everything. I have the fullest faith that there is a reason for all this, and that Divine Providence watches over me, protecting and guiding me along each step I take."

The interminable soothing rocking of the ship continued. As Blueblood sat within his prison, he felt a warmth he had never felt before. Though murderous draconequui slave traders paced the deck above him, never before did he feel such wonder and joy at being alive. "Yes, everything is going to be just fine," he thought to himself.


End file.
